


Questions

by ambivertedintrovert



Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: it's mainly louie, there's a reason he's one of my favourite characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:47:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28110387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ambivertedintrovert/pseuds/ambivertedintrovert
Summary: The world was never fair; Louie found that out right in the beginning. It was why he learnt to lie and manipulate situations, of course.He knew the world was what it was. But that never stopped him from wondering why.
Relationships: Della Duck & Louie Duck, Dewey Duck & Huey Duck & Louie Duck & Webby Vanderquack, Donald Duck & Louie Duck, Louie Duck & "Glittering" Goldie O'Gilt, Louie Duck & Scrooge McDuck
Comments: 3
Kudos: 56





	Questions

Sometimes, he didn’t understand the way the world worked. He knew things were the way they were, but he never got _why_.

What was it with war and anger? It was bringing history into a functional society. He understood it was too much pain to bear, but seriously, why did they hurt the innocent people? Why couldn’t they just move on? Uncle Donald said Louie wouldn’t understand it yet because he hadn’t seen the suffering, or the anger that caused it.

_(He tried to understand it. He thought about it too much, to say in the least, and he eventually fell asleep in Uncle Donald’s lap because the thinking had tired him out._

_Huey tried to explain it again the next day, “It’s avenging who they think is right, Lou. Like when you plot a revenge plan against us? War is just on a bigger scale.” Louie never got the point.)_

And poverty? It was society, society had made them that way, and many were cursed to be born into it. Sure, there were the ones who went broke because of not saving up what they had, but otherwise? Uncle Scrooge said it was because they didn’t work hard enough, that they accepted their fate from the beginning.

_(Louie never agreed though. Uncle Donald had worked so hard for them, and_ he _had been pretty low on money.)_

What about emotions? Emotions were usually genuine, from what he had seen. But the real life soap-operas? The impulsive decisions? What about those? Mom said it was the fear and excitement, the risk and the short-term profit.

_(“But why would they do it if it’s for only a short-term gain?” he asked, half-asleep against his mother’s shoulder._

_“Sometimes, you forget to see the angles. It clouds your judgment. It’s like when you fight with your brothers, and you say something mean. But it still isn’t right,” his mom answered softly. Louie had a feeling she was hiding something between the lines, but he was too sleepy to find out.)_

The world was never fair; he found that out right in the beginning. It was why he learnt to lie and manipulate situations, of course. 

It was why he started studying people in the first place- the way they talked, laughed, their _personality_. It was an interest he would later on develop a lot more with additional guidance.

So where Huey would grab his guidebook, Dewey his theatrics, or Webby her skills, Louie would depend on his ability to read or change the situation. He was the quick thinker from the beginning, the one who would reach the end in the least expected moment, and he was proud of it.

But his method was unpredictable. Not to say the others’ methods were predictable, of course, but his method was mainly effective in the beginning. 

Very few schemes could be pulled off perfectly until the end, because no matter how many backups you have for backups, life loves throwing in a situation you hadn’t even gone through before.

_(“Bro, it’s easier to go with the flow than sticking to plans. Then you can handle the dangers,” Dewey said after they crashed Emma Glamour’s party._

_“They aren’t plans, Dew, they’re_ schemes _,” muttered Louie, “Schemes are exciting, and plans alone are plain and boring. Multiple good plans make a scheme.”_

_“Geez you sound like Huey. Or is Vi rubbing off onto you too now?” Louie just grumbled in response.)_

The thing was, he was still hunting for a proper method. A proper way to be able to foreshadow the dangers, to handle them and succeed. 

He asked several adults for tips, so he could process their methods, but none of them worked for him. His method wasn’t the most reliable without help.

He had tried going with the flow. That was what flattery was, in a way. Inventing ideas and words that make people happy in seconds. And he could do a lot of things while going with the flow too, like talking, fibbing, and judging people.

But things like stepping outdoors and hunting for treasure? Or showcasing your talent in front of others? 

Those needed some sort of a plan, even if they weren’t as detailed as Huey’s checklists. He never got how people managed to jump in without a plan, blurting out whatever came into their mouth.

Huey said he needed to relax, and he’d eventually find a method that suited him. Dewey told him to chill out on the sofa in the usual way, because he was doing completely fine before all this. Webby didn’t give any advice, but she brought a cup of hot chocolate so that helped.

That got him thinking though. He was doing okay before. But he wasn’t doing really well, because there was always a part that he overlooked, and that tiny part would bug him forever.

His aim now was to make that bit better.

_(“The easiest way to begin your path is by listing out your strengths and weaknesses. Then you balance it out in your final scheme,” Goldie said thoughtfully. “I’m for more research and less planning, but it still works.”_

_“But Aunt Goldie? There has to be a path before you begin it?” Louie said in a confused tone, grabbing back his wallet and stealing hers in a swift motion before she noticed._

_“Well, Sharpie, it’s like a diamond,” she said, patting the boy’s hair fondly and taking her wallet back, “After all that inspection, beneath all that dirt, there’s a well-deserved prize. You’ll understand someday.”)_

It was while he was looking blankly at the sunset that it suddenly struck him. He was doing this _wrong_. He’d been looking for a role model this entire time like a fool, when the obvious was right in front of him.

He had so many role models. All he had to do was stir their ideas in a mixing bowl, and add his own ideas, and that would be _perfect_. He fell back onto his bead, grinning widely. He’d been over thinking this.

Okay, so it wouldn’t be _perfect_. But it would be pretty good, and a lot better than what he had before. Formulating this mixture would take an eternity, but it would be worth it. Because even if he managed to reach close to the ideal situation, it would be more than enough.

.

The world was never fair, he knew that. But he had grown tired of it being an excuse for everything.

And maybe, just _maybe_ , he’d get his answers on the way.

**Author's Note:**

> (@your-local-semi-nerd on tumblr)


End file.
